An Insoluble Problem?

Why aren't Demifox Fred and Astra there themselves? Whereas, for recent missions of Jarlath's group of Champions arising out of what happened at the Red Pyramid, those being helped have been part of the party, that could not be the case this time. The Demifox Fred and Astra have themselves become Champions, and so are subject to constraints imposed by the Celestrials which say that they can't return to their own home world, not even briefly. (Some Champions whose homeworld is Terra Prime have a special dispensation meaning that this restriction does not apply to them.)

But now back to those elves. It is Tarin Gazin who is the main concern, of course. It is unsettling enough for any intelligent being to be transformed into a member of another species. But there could be no transformation that would come as more of a shock than for a dwarf to become an elf. The two species are at opposite "poles" you might say, as different from each other as they could be in everything except their height. At the moment Tarin looks stunned, but what might he do when the initial sense of numbed disbelief wears off?

The Champions feel at a bit of a loss for the moment. They can't think of any spell that is likely to be of any long-term help. Yes, they could sedate Tarin, but he can't spend the rest of his life sedated. Unlike with Frozh, they don't have a wish spell ready and waiting, even if one could be made to work, and before a new one could be prepared it would no longer be possible to change Tarin back. There is no longer a Crystallic back on Nantucket Earth to perform transformations, [18183] and even if there were it might be too much of a shock to Tarin to transport him to another world. No, it seems that he is stuck as an elf, but how to help him to come to terms with that?

1. What to do?